Cardiff University Pays £18,000 For Portrait Of Vice Chancellor David Grant

A university has enraged students by forking out thousands of pounds for a portrait of its vice-chancellor.

Dr David Grant, who has been in the position at Cardiff University since 2001, is currently sitting for the £18,000 portrait to mark his retirement a the end of the academic year.

The Russell Group university will be charging £9,000 a year in tuition fees, starting in September. The decision to commission the portrait, which will be painted by Wales-based artist Keith Breedon, has led to students expressing their frustration at the cost.

Cardiff's student paper the Gair Rhydd commented:

"The decision to continue this [tradition] at a time when many of the schools at the university are facing serious funding shortages might come as a surprise."